Shloka 156
Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala
आक्रन्दन्त्यन्तरीक्षस्था आगच्छेह नराधिप ।
विश्वामित्रेण विज्ञप्तो यमो राजंस्तवार्थतः ॥
ākrandanty antarīkṣasthā āgaccheha narādhipa | viśvāmitreṇa vijñapto yamo rājan tavārthataḥ ||
Dari pertengahan langit terdengar suara meratap, “Datanglah ke sini, wahai raja.” Yama telah dipohon oleh Viśvāmitra—wahai raja—demi pihak tuanku.
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FAQs
The narrative shows two forces operating together: the impersonal law of karma (administered by Yama) and the personal agency of great ṛṣis whose tapas can petition, redirect, or time the unfolding of consequences. Yet the petition does not negate dharma; it frames how the result is delivered.
Carita (story of a king and a sage) with dharma-judicial elements; not a genealogical list or manvantara description.
The ‘mid-sky’ summons can signify the liminal state between worlds—between merit (svarga) and punishment (naraka/duḥkha). Viśvāmitra’s role symbolizes the potency of concentrated will (tapas) to activate latent karmic sequences.